ISTANBUL

China on Monday called the Five Eyes intelligence alliance a “security threat.” 

“If anyone is concerned over security threat, it is not China, but the ‘Five Eyes’ countries, that they need to be concerned about,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in response to a question at a news conference on Monday.

“We advise relevant countries to abandon the Cold-War mentality and ideological bias, view China in an objective and just manner, and stop unwarranted smears and blames against China,” Mao Ning said. 

Mao’s remarks came after the Five Eyes said China is “the greatest espionage threat democracy has ever faced.”

“Accusation against China has no factual ground and is just smears against China. We strongly oppose this,” Mao said. 

The Five Eyes is an intelligence partnership among Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US.